Costa Rica: Family time

Today was a good day of work. Everyone switched roles so I shoveled some cement as well as dig up the walls of the mountain. I am really enjoying things here. I feel like I´ve been here and known everyone for so much longer than 3 days.... at least a week. All the girls are great. Two of the girls had to go to the hospital in Santa Maria for constipation problems... If I had constipation problems, I´d be happy. Such a time saver. Just kidding. But I guess their symptoms must be much worse and serious than I´ve ever had to experience.

Not to switch from constipation to food... But I stasnd by the belief that food brings people togethere. There is something quite intimate about the interactions through food. You learn, you teach, you find out details of each other´s lives that wouldn´t have been brought up otherwise... Tonight, we helped our parents prepared dinner for the first time. We prepared fried fish, rice, salad, and french fries. So Kristen and I don´t like beans. In Costa Rica, people normally eat it breakfast, lunch and dinner. So as you can imagine, coming here I expected rice and beans 3 times a day but I really lucked out on some amazing parents... that also happen to not really like beans. Orlando likes to fish, so I asked if we could go fishing some time. Hopefully on a sunny day he says, and if I could get some of his honey. Asking all these question has not only improved my Spanish but brought me closer to my host family since none of them really know any English. All of this occurs over meals.

This language barrier is tough, but it´s also a bonding tool if you devote yourself to making an effort. If I  had known Spanish prior to coming here, I wouldn´t gain the same experience and leave this place with as much personal growth. It´s crazy how attached I am already only after 3 days. Everything here is better than in the states. Air is cleaner, food is better and natural, real fruit juice every day, people are kinder, dogs are friendlier, water is cleaner. Everything is better. I am so lucky to know these people.